ChristadelphianBooksOnline
Don Styles
Principles of Ecclesial Life

Unity is Vital to God

The dire reaction to those who would disrupt the unify of the body indicates that something basic is at issue.

Unity Is basic to divine thinking, Eph. 4:4-6

One body	not separate ecclesias for Jew, Gentile, bond, free.
One spirit	not many opposing supernatural forces at work as the heathens imagined, but one power working in one way to one end.
One hope	not the notion that some groups have whereby they believe some will receive immortality, and others found faithful will be given a lesser position.
One Lord	over all; not a system of divided authority.
One faith	one set of promises which God will fulfill and . upon which all are to rely.
One baptism	into one set of standards based on one set of principles.
One Deity	who designs all, regulates all and brings all who would be saved into His one name.

God's name speaks of many united in one

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations" (Ex. 3:14-15).

While Yahweh is the name of God, the full memorial title is "the LORD God of your fathers." The significance of this title is seen from the following:

LORD -- "I will be", as the Hebrew is the first person, future form of the verb "to be."

God -- "mighty ones" from the Hebrew elohim which is a plural word.

Of your fathers -- those who are spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Herein is the purpose of God with mankind declared for He will take the spiritual seed of Abraham and, making them mighty spirit beings ' unite them into His name for ever. He will be mighty ones of Abraham. Many will be united in one and the one will be manifested in many.

This is His purpose and this is the basic method of divine operation. This very concept is employed now in the unity of the ecclesial body as many are united into one.

Immortal hosts working as one

Psa. 96:12-13 reads: "...then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the LORD: for he cometh, to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth."

Who will judge the world with righteousness? God Himself, personally? The verse seems to say so clearly enough. But consider Acts 17:31:

"he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained..."

God will rule the world through the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus in Psalm 96, the name Yahweh includes the Lord Jesus as well as Deity himself.

Zech. 14:18 reads: "And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles."

Who will run the world during the kingdom age occasionally administering punishment upon various nations, God Himself personally? Consider Rev. 2:26-27: "And he that overcometh ... to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron ... even as I received of my Father. " Rulership of the world will co-shared by Christ with the immortalized saints who will share his throne of power. Thus in Zech. 14, the name Yahweh includes the host of the saints as well as Christ and die Deity.

There are not lords many and gods many, there is a host of holy ones included in the one Yahweh name and working as one in Him. This is the same principle as the unity of the body of believers today. Again, many in one is seen as basic to divine thinking.

When, therefore, we disrupt the unity of the body of Christ we are offending in a very sensitive area of God's purpose. That is why those who cause division are spoken of in such harsh terms.